Client devices, such as digital video recorders (DVRs), may include a program guide or other mechanism that displays information to a viewer. The displayed information may be related to various television programs that are scheduled on different channels and different times on a particular day. A viewer is able to select one or more television programs to be recorded such that the viewer can watch the recorded programs at the viewer's convenience. Additionally, a viewer may enter a request to record all shows in a particular series (such as a sitcom or drama series) or shows that recur at a particular frequency (such as a program scheduled for 9:00 p.m. every Monday evening).
The program guide content may change as particular programs are cancelled, rescheduled, or preempted by other programs. Such changes increases the difficulty of locating and recording the correct programs from the program guide. Further, some programs may change start times and program length from one week to the next (or from one broadcast of the program to the next). These changes further complicate the task of identifying and recording the correct programs from the program guide.
Accordingly, there is a need for systems and methods that analyze program guide data to identify programs that should be recorded.